A traditional lion dance accompanied by clattering drums and cymbals ushered in the year of the rat in Southampton on Sunday, 24 February 2008. The event at Turner Sims Hall, Southampton University was jointly organised by The Monitoring Group Min Quan and Chinese Student and Scholar Association of Southampton.

More than three hundreds Southampton University Chinese students, scholars and professors, lecturers came together for a lively Chinese New Year celebration. The Registrar and Chief Operating Officer of Southampton University Simon Higman, The secondary secretary of Chinese Embassy Hongzhi Sun, the Chief Inspector of Hampshire Constabulary Karen Scipio and Acting Deputy Communities Manager of Southampton City Council Eve Holmyard, the Chair of Chinese Association of Southampton Ping Hua and Min Quan DCLG project Coordinator Leiwen Chen attended this event.  

Programmes include the breathtaking acrobatics performance Ding Bei and Zhuan Tan, the colourful Chinese folk dance, the classical Zither and Er Hu musical instrumental ensemble, and the traditional Chinese style cross-talk. At that unforgettable exciting night, people were singing and cheering together to demonstrate the variety of Chinese culture and to share the harmony of our society